How to make easy hair styles: Instructions to learn to french braid your own hair

French braiding your hair can be easy – tips, suggestions, and fixes.

French braiding is not an incredibly difficult skill. Many people have trouble braiding their own hair because their arms get tired, the braid turns out too loose, or the braid ends up looking very messy. However, once you get the hang of it, French braiding is pretty simple.

First, decide whether you’re going to do your hair in one braid (down the center) or two braids (pigtails). Some people think pigtails are easier, because you can see what you’re doing better. Others find one braid easier, because then you know exactly where the center is. If you opt to do pigtails, separate your hair carefully down the center, and loosely loop a rubber band around one half of your hair. This will keep it out of your way and ensure you don’t accidentally mix this hair in your other pigtail.

Once you have your hair set up for either one braid or two, start with the hair at the front and center of your head (for pigtails, the front and center of that half of your head). Pull the hair back and separate it into three roughly equal sections. Cross the left section over the center section, being very careful to keep the hair at the front of your head smooth. Once you have it crossed over, you may need to lift it up and reposition it as you smooth your hair out. Try to cross it as smoothly as possible.
Then, cross the right section over the center section (which should be what was originally the left section). You will follow this pattern (left over center, right over center) all the way down the braid. As you do this, hold your hair tightly and keep the crosses tightly together. Some people will have to pull on their hair in order to do this.

Once you have made one pair of crosses, hold all the hair in your right hand, being careful to keep each section separated (try putting each section between a different two fingers, and keep it tight). Use your left hand to select a small piece of hair (about the size of each of the pieces you already have). Smooth this hair up, and add it to the left section of the braid. Then, put all your hair into your left hand (keeping the addition with the left section) and gather a small piece of hair on your right. Add this to the right section. Leave the center alone.

Once you have done this, cross the left over the center, and then the right over the center. Be sure that you keep the newly added pieces tightly in the braid. If they feel loose as you do the crossing, your French braid will be loose and may fall out. If your hair is gapping or sticking out once you have completed the crosses and again placed the pieces in your right hand, then you did not pull tightly enough on the newly added pieces. Simply uncross them and pull more tightly. It may actually feel as though you are tying your hair in knots.

Then, add pieces to each side section of your hair again. This is what creates a French braid – adding pieces of hair as you go down the braid. Continue to pull tightly every time you add hair and make another set of crosses.

Once you get down to the bottom of your head, add the remaining hair to each section equally. This is the ONLY time you will add hair to the center section. Then, continue braiding in the same crossing pattern until you reach the end of your hair. Most people will have to stop about an inch above the end of their hair. Use a hair band to secure the braid in place.

A word of caution about pigtails – you must keep track of where on your head they are being set. Are they close to the center, or are the farther away? You will want the other braid to be in roughly the same position. For this reason, make sure your hair is really parted down the center before you start, and watch in the mirror how you are guiding the braid. If you pull up with your top hand (whichever is opposite the side you’re braiding on), the braid will be closer to the center. If you pull down with your bottom hand, it will be farther away. If you pull down too much with your bottom hand, the braid will be loose. Try to guide it carefully down the middle of that side of your head.

French braiding takes practice. The method in itself is simple enough, but you need to know exactly how much pulling your hair needs, where the center of your pigtails is going to be, how large the pieces of hair you’re starting out with should be (try fairly small to begin with), and more. Each individual is a little different. Some find it easier if they braid on “feel” and don’t look in a mirror. Others need a mirror to see what they’re doing.

If your arms get too tired at any point in time, take the braid in one hand and hold it tightly. Then, let your arms simply “droop” and relax for a minute. Then, begin braiding again. Practice this, and you will be good at French braiding in no time!

Posted by admin
on Jun 27 2012. Filed under Beauty & Makeup.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry